1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for protecting various components of a digital video recording system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Video monitoring systems often utilize a number of remotely located video cameras connected to one or more video recorders, perhaps such cameras are located in key locations to monitor various locations, grounds or entry ways to businesses and homes. These remotely located video cameras are most often connected to a video recorder or video switching system by, for example, coaxial cables that include a signal path and a ground/shield. Unfortunately, since video often operates at relatively low voltages, the video recorder is susceptible to unusual line conditions such as surges resulting in over-voltage or over-current conditions. If the camera or cabling is exposed to such a surge in electricity, that electricity may flow down the coaxial cable and may damage the video switching system and/or the video recorder. This may arise during an electrical storm, especially if lightning strikes near or at the video camera. Furthermore, voltage fluctuations, surges and other line variations may travel into a building over phone lines, data lines and/or power lines with the potential to damage the recorder and/or video switching system. In addition, it is possible to lose power to the recorder/switching system, which may impact the ability of the video recorder to monitor the remote video cameras.
In the past, several discrete products protected these recording/switching systems. Power to the recording/switching system may have been conditioned by a surge protector to reduce the risk of power surges emanating from building power. Additionally, to provide power to the recording/switching system in the event of a power outage or shortage, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) may have been used, perhaps a UPS with an integrated surge protector. In addition, another system comprising one or more video surge protectors may have been added to help protect the video recorder from surges emanating from the video cameras or the cabling that connects the cameras to the video recorder. Additionally, if network connections or phone connections are made to the video recorder, discrete network surge protectors and phone line protectors may have been deployed.
What is needed is an integrated system to protect the video monitoring system from external power surges, electrostatic discharge, lightning and other hazardous forces, while providing back-up power to the monitoring system in the event of a power outage.